


Light of Life

by Anonymous



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Accidental Pissing, Alpha Noctis, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Barebacking, Bathing/Washing, Bottom Ardyn, Coitus Interruptus, Dubious Consent, First Time, Knotting, M/M, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Omega Ardyn, Possessive Behavior, Riding, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Top noctis, Topping from the Bottom, vagrant daemon Ardyn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 08:39:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13854078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Ardyn and Noctis have shared a soul bond since Noctis's birth. Ardyn has mostly been living a daemonic existence in the wilderness for the past thousand years, but Noctis's unconscious longing through their bond brings him to Insomnia. Noctis is deeply inconvenienced at finding Ardyn, ragged and smelly, under his bed, but tries to care for him.





	Light of Life

**Author's Note:**

> Noctis is about 14 in this, Ardyn is his usual daemonic immortal age.

 

 

 

 

 

Ardyn was in the dark for a long time. He dreamed the visions and memories of thousands of lives that belonged to the people he'd healed once upon a time, by taking in their daemons. Where were his own memories? Did he really exist anymore? For stretches of time it hardly seemed to matter. When he was awake, he was like a ghoul, dripping with scourge and feeding on life. Then he would succumb to a monstrous desire to sleep. He would crawl into some deep cavern and sleep for a few decades. Through his magic he could keep a sense of what went on in the world while he slept.  
  
As much as the Astrals wished to deny Ardyn his link to the Crystal, Bahamut could not revoke the magic that had been granted to Ardyn Lucis Caelum until death. Ardyn was far from dead yet, to everyone's vexation. Ardyn's most of all.  
  
On good days when he was awake, Ardyn could assume a decent human appearance, regain a little sense of self, of what he might have been as Ardyn the Healer, Ardyn the First King. But the sun would sting him, reminding him he did not belong in the light, that he should hide. And the people were so strange, and he couldn't remember the point of interacting with any of them.  
  
One day when he'd stumbled into an underground train station and collapsed in a corner, Ardyn was overcome with something like nostalgia—a feeling of bitter sweetness, of joy, of pain, of hope. He didn't understand, because these weren't from the fragmented daemons in his soul—they were his own feelings, but also not entirely his own. He dozed in that corner, eyes wet with tears (which he simply assumed to be scourge). Though he wasn't fully aware of this, he was currently in Insomnia, capital of the Lucis Caelum monarchy. Over the past months, instinct had woken him from a long sleep and driven him to migrate to this city.  
  
The next prince had been born, in line to become the CXIV king. Ardyn felt disgusted. Traitor blood. He should've wiped them out a thousand years ago. Somehow he'd never succeeded though, and it added to his bitterness every time he woke up. He slithered deep into the underground tunnels and took a nap for a few days. The unusual warmth that had grown in his chest didn't leave. For the next few years he slept more than he was awake. During that time he was often lucid though. Visions of bright rooms, gardens, colours, sweet smells, warmth.  
  
When it was finally night again, Ardyn found his feet. He took deep breaths of the cold damp air, and wandered the streets of Insomnia. The visions that had kept intruding into his mind while he was resting had cleared, and now he had picked up a scent that enticed him. It led him further into the city, towards the dark towers. That's where someone had been calling to him, a beacon only he could sense.  
  
With lucidity growing stronger and stronger, he wondered wryly what foolish magic was at work this time, to bring him here to the seat of the pretender kings. Was the Crystal going to ruin his day again? It didn't feel that way though. The presence that was drawing him in seemed to have no ulterior motive—it was just lonely and searching for... him? Curiosity led him on.  
  
Nothing and no-one stopped him from entering the Citadel and wandering its halls like a spectre. He was little more than a shadow in the peripheries of the eye. The scent, the call, was growing stronger. Innocently and defenselessly wishing to be found. Ardyn thought with some irritation that he should probably kill the fool. Eat.  
  
Ardyn slunk into a large, dark room—not entirely dark, because of a dim lamp that cast a pattern of stars on the ceiling and walls. A floor scattered with clothing and books and knickknacks, a large bed, and a very small occupant. Ardyn stood at the bed, staring down in surprise. This small sleeping creature... was the prince... the future chosen king.... the light. Ardyn sank to his knees, unable to take his eyes off this sight. So much bitterness and hatred churned inside him, but it was beaten back by a warm glow of joy and pleasure at being in the presence of... his chosen one...?  
  
Ardyn started back. His heart hammered with sudden panic. It couldn't be. He knew that everyone supposedly had a soul-mate in this world, but most people never met theirs. Ardyn had been alive for thousands of years and he had never felt this pull at his core before. He swallowed hard and shakily crawled further away from the bed. The inexplicable happiness that had welled up inside him began to drain the further away he got. Part of him was relieved, but another part just wanted to feel that joy again.  
  
When had he last felt anything good? When had he been allowed to feel soothed and welcomed? _Never_ , a voice in his mind whispered. _Monster… doesn't deserve..._  
  
Ardyn clutched his head, and a pained groan escaped his throat. Everything always hurt, except when he lost himself to his basest urges and ran wild on moonless nights; or when he was so deeply asleep decades passed in the blink of an eye. All he could do now was curl up in the corner of the prince's room, holding his aching head and wishing for it to all be over. _Kill me... kill me already... weak little king..._  
  
Thinking about Noctis made Ardyn instinctively crawl nearer again. Let me kiss the hem of his robe, Ardyn thought feverishly. Let me glimpse his radiance... let me perish.  
  
He made it back to the edge of the bed. The sun was rising, bringing grey light through the curtains. Ardyn dragged himself under the bed and passed out there as the room grew lighter.  
  
He woke up from an incessant pain running through his side.  
  
"Hey, get out of there. You can't stay under my bed. Hey. Stupid old man..."  
  
When Ardyn managed to rouse himself and wriggle away from whatever was stabbing him, he heard a loud sigh.  
  
"Fuck my life..." the grumpy little prince muttered.  
  
Ardyn shuffled around until he could see that soft scowling face. When their eyes met, Noctis wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, you stink like a dumpster. I'm gonna get in so much shit if anyone sees you, though they'd smell you first."  
  
The room was still bright, and Ardyn squinted. He was feeling surprisingly lucid though, all things considered. He was a little impressed that Noctis had the guts to poke him with a wooden sword and scold him instead of screaming and calling for the guards. Part of him was vaguely fond of this brat already, another part wanted to tear his throat out. At least Noctis had put the sword down and was instead holding out a hand to Ardyn.  
  
"Come on. It's Saturday but I can't stay here all day. Let's get you in the bath and then... I'l figure something out."  
  
Ardyn bared his teeth on instinct, then Noctis's warm scent wafted closer and he went still, just breathing it in for a moment. There was just something so soothing about Noctis's proximity he couldn't stay mad. Tentatively he crawled forward on his belly and came out from under the large bed. Noctis watched him impatiently, and finally looked a bit uneasy when Ardyn found his feet and towered over him.  
  
"Uh... the bathroom's this way."  
  
Ardyn didn't particularly want to be bossed around by this tiny brat, but his instincts told him that for now he should just go along with what Noctis wanted. As a prince and an alpha, Noctis had an aura of authority that appealed to a mind that had been disgraced and cast out from society a long time ago, cared for by no-one and wished dead by the few who knew he existed.  
  
Ardyn wobbled along on unsteady legs to follow Noctis to the bathroom. Another large room, even brighter, and Ardyn hissed, dazzled by it. Noctis's small hands reached for him, trying to tug off his ragged clothes.  
  
"Stop being such a baby. It's embarrassing. Can't believe we're actually related..." Noctis was muttering while fighting against Ardyn's flailing and the many layers of dirty fabric.  
  
Ardyn was practically huddled on the cold tile floor by the time Noctis had stripped him. Noctis urged him to sit on a plastic shower stool and switched on the shower mixer. He carefully tested the water temperature before moving the shower-head over Ardyn's body.  
  
"Just sit still," Noctis scolded.  
  
Ardyn tried to stop his fidgeting. The high water pressure tickled and irritated his skin and over his scalp. It was such a strange feeling. Noctis suddenly yelped and jumped back a step.  
  
"Stop pissing in my shower! Bloody hell, you're impossible."  
  
Ardyn looked down at himself. Huh. He didn't have the energy to form words, but a dry chuckle bubbled from his throat. Noctis didn't find it amusing at all and turned the shower spray on Ardyn's groin. Brat. Then Noctis turned the water off and started lathering him up with soap. He lightly slapped Ardyn's face with a washcloth, and said, "You'd better wash properly between your legs."  
  
For a moment Ardyn just blinked at him, his ego seething at this boy talking to him like a toddler. He narrowed his eyes and took the washcloth. Noctis turned his attention to shampooing Ardyn's hair. He lathered and rinsed Ardyn's scraggly hair about five times, while Ardyn absentmindedly rubbed the washcloth over his groin and further back between his thighs. The scent of crisp apple shampoo blossomed in the room, and filled Ardyn's hazy mind with memories of long delicious summers, the excess harvest fermenting into golden cider and filling the bellies of the livestock to be fattened.  
  
Despite his impatience, Noctis was careful and through in washing Ardyn. The feeling of his small fingers massaging over Ardyn's scalp was surprisingly relaxing. Ardyn let his eyes drift closed, before another dose of water made him splutter.  
  
"There," Noctis declared triumphantly, hands on hips and flushed with exertion.  
  
Ardyn blinked up at him through dripping strands of hair. Noctis hurried to bring him towels, about three at once, and told Ardyn to dry himself while Noctis rubbed a towel over his wet hair. Sluggishly Ardyn lifted his arms, but only got as far as wrapping himself tighter in the large fluffy towel Noctis had thrown over his shoulders.  
  
"OK. Now... your clothes are a mess, so just wait in my room while I go look for something else. Come on," Noctis tugged at the edge of the towel Ardyn clutched, urging him to get off the shower stool. Ardyn slowly found his feet. Unfortunately, given his height, the little prince's largest towel didn't provide much modesty when it was over his shoulders. Noctis rushed to wrap the extra towel around Ardyn's waist, grumbling and blushing, because couldn't Ardyn do anything for himself?  
  
"Here. Just sit and wait for me until I find you something to wear, okay?" Noctis said as he directed Ardyn to sit on the end of his bed. Ardyn nodded.  
  
The soft comfort of blankets and mattress and fresh linen were distractingly comfortable. He didn't want to move if he could help it. At the door, Noctis turned back to fix him with a glare and say, "Just be good or we'll both be in a shitload of trouble."  
  
Ardyn rolled his eyes, and flopped back on the mattress. He decided it was definitely better to sleep on the bed than underneath it. He clawed at the covers and crawled under the blankets. He sighed deeply, unable to recall the last time he felt such comfort. And surrounding him was the newly familiar scent of Noctis. Memories of sun-bright fields and laughter drifted through his mind. Scents of hearty meals and sweet flowers; the grass at harvest; the warmth of a fire in the grate; gentle loving caresses and whispered words of comfort. Some of them were his own, some were Noctis's. Ardyn fell asleep like that.  
  
He woke up from Noctis shaking his shoulder and calling to him with increasing frustration. Ardyn was annoyed at being shaken, and suddenly lashed out to bite at Noctis's hand. He didn't intend to harm Noctis, just warn him off, but Noctis yelped and slapped him across the face. They both were stunned for a minute, tense and glaring at each other. Noctis clutched his nipped hand to his chest, and Ardyn felt his cheek throb. After a moment, Noctis seemed to realize that Ardyn hadn't really bitten him, and huffed as he turned his attention to a stack of clothes he'd dumped on the bed.  
  
"Anyway... these should fit you. Uncle Cor's about as tall as you. I'll figure out how to buy you some other stuff later."  
  
Ardyn supposed he should appreciate the gesture, but everything smelled like stranger, and he didn't want to wear them. Now that he was wrapped up in the cosiness of Noctis's bed he didn't see the point of clothes at all. He reached out for Noctis's hand. Noctis watched him warily, but their bond made him inclined to trust Ardyn. Ardyn checked that he really hadn't bitten Noctis, and gave his hand an apologetic lick. He felt a shiver run through Noctis, and pulled him closer.  
  
This was his mate's nest and he wanted to share it, luxuriate in it, stay here forever. Noctis reluctantly let Ardyn drag him under the blankets. His look of irritation was replaced with trepidation, curiosity, and wide-eyed desire. Ardyn could practically hear his pulse and breathing rising as his cheeks flushed. He smelled so good.  
  
"A-Ardyn—nnnmm?!"  
  
Ardyn pulled Noctis into a kiss, longing and playful, because he knew he'd finally found his One. Later, when he was more lucid, he might curse and rail at the gods at this new humiliation: to be bound to a descendant of the brother who stabbed him in the back, and a callow child at that. For now, he felt accepted and cared for, and would make the best of this little morsel of a prince.  
  
It was clear that Noctis had little to no experience, Ardyn wasn't faring much better after sinking into a daemonic existence. Their desire and curiosity to explore each other made up for lack in finesse. Ardyn was already naked apart from the towel still loosely wrapped around his hips. Every erogenous zone seemed ten times more sensitive than he could remember, and just having Noctis pressed against his bare chest felt so good.  
  
Noctis wriggled back a bit, trying to collect himself in this unexpected situation. Ardyn loosened his arms reluctantly, watching Noctis's face.  
  
"W-wait... we can't just. This is so weird. I mean, you're like really old and I don't even know you." Noctis rubbed the back of his hand over his swollen lips.  
  
"Oh, Noct. You wound me," Ardyn said, having found his voice. "You knew my name without asking, and now you treat me like a stranger?"  
  
Noctis's proximity and the magic that resided in his body were refreshing Ardyn's human spirit. Or maybe his lust. He wanted to devour Noctis, the heat spreading in his abdomen demanding more. He rolled on top of Noctis, loomed over him, and Noctis let out a surprised squeak. His pulse was jumping in his pale throat, his body tense with apprehension. This was too fast and unfamiliar for him to relax and enjoy it. Ardyn regarded him with all the gentleness that had been released from his shriveled soul, and tried to rein in his more predatory urges.  
  
"Noctis..." he purred—mate calling to mate. Although their bond hadn't been sealed yet with a marking bite, the emotional connection they had shared for years before meeting was strong. Hearing Ardyn's deep crooning, some of the tension drained from Noctis.  
  
"Ardyn... I..." Noctis sighed, unable to articulate what was on his mind. His small erection was pressing against Ardyn's stomach through his shorts, and he bit his lower lip. Ardyn wanted to kiss him again, so he did. He wasn't much for denying himself anything, even when he was lucid. He continued purring in the way particular to omegas—a way to calm almost any alpha, but especially soothing to a mate.  
  
Noctis gained some confidence, and lifted his hands to run over Ardyn's sides, his scarred back. Ardyn hissed with pleasure. He didn't mind Noctis touching him there. Noctis had already seen memories of his fall and disgrace, and accepted him. While they kissed, Noctis started purring too; he didn't quite have the crooning down, because his voice was still changing, and Ardyn chuckled. It was endearing to him, and he answered with a roll of his hips. Noctis gasped and rubbed up against him. His clothes were still in the way, but Ardyn soon took care of that, peeling Noctis out of his t-shirt, shorts, and socks. He kissed Noctis's bony ankles, and spread his skinny legs. Noctis looked deeply embarrassed and shy, but he didn't try to hide from Ardyn's gaze.  
  
Ardyn pushed aside his towel, and Noctis stared down at his erection with wide eyes. He might have looked terrified if it wasn't an alpha's privilege to penetrate.  
  
Ardyn studied the boy more carefully, noted that for his age and slimness, his member was not as tiny as expected. And already swelling to knot. The eagerness was flattering, and Ardyn fondled him while Noctis gasped and squirmed like he could barely hold back from coming already. Ardyn let him go, and slid his hands up over Noctis's chest, leaning down to hush him, and kiss him. While Ardyn was crouched over him, Noctis mindlessly bumped his hips up against him, blindly seeking to be joined with his mate. Ardyn wondered if Noctis had ever experienced a rut yet.  
  
"Steady on, my little prince. Do you really deserve the pleasure of my company?" Ardyn arched a haughty brow.  
  
With lucidity, strands of bitterness twined with his lust. He, the first king, the first chosen, the healer of his people, with this whelp who could barely access the magic his ancestor had stolen. At the same time, he was tinged with a little sorrow, because he knew the Crystal saw Noctis only as a means to an end, and would sacrifice him and end the line of kings with his death. The death of Ardyn's mate, his destined one.  
  
Ardyn bared his teeth at the thought. That infernal crystal and the fool gods who had cursed all humanity with their squabbles. Noctis whimpered, his expression drawn at Ardyn's sudden shift to anger. His instincts made him fear rejection by his mate. Ardyn reined in his feelings as he looked at Noctis's clouded blue eyes. He'd heard and seen often enough how agonizing the rejection of a soul mate was. He had no intention of putting Noctis through that, even if he hated the boy's origins. He stroked a hand over Noctis's soft cheek.  
  
"Don't worry. You may not deserve me, but you shall have me."  
  
Noctis frowned. "I don't..."  
  
"You don't want me?" Ardyn couldn't help teasing.  
  
Of course, it would be more appropriate if Ardyn were a young alpha female—the perfect social match for a king to be. But the fate of bonds didn't consider what was socially appropriate.  
  
Ardyn straddled Noctis's narrow hips, and a shiver ran through Noctis, his erection throbbing against Ardyn's cleft. In response, Ardyn felt a jolt of lust ripple along his spine and curl inside him. As Ardyn's arousal increased, his omega scent grew stronger, and Noctis closed his eyes and sniffed the air. He seemed to like what he smelled, licking his lips and fixing Ardyn with a hungry stare.  
  
Ardyn chuckled, and reached back to his cleft, where he felt stickiness under his fingertips. His own light touch made him tense; his opening was already so sensitive. It had been a long time since he'd been awake, lucid and intent on enjoying a seduction. Even this child would amuse and please him.  
  
"Relax. You're mine, little prince." Ardyn was ready to eat Noctis up. With the steady flow of Noctis's precum and his own wetness, it was easy to sink down and take what he wanted.  
  
His insides shivered at the first taste, filled just enough to fan his arousal and rub against his sweet spot when he shifted. Noctis nearly howled, and tried to buck up to bury himself past the knot in Ardyn's clenching heat. But Ardyn held him down and eased off, keeping just the tip to pleasure himself. After the first shock of pleasure, Noctis relaxed a bit and let Ardyn set the pace.  
  
Soon Ardyn sank down further again, letting Noctis feel more. Noctis clutched at his thighs, breathing hard and gaze unfocused. Ardyn wondered if he'd be any use at this point. He lifted one of Noctis's clutching hands and wrapped it around his length. Noctis shied away at first, but Ardyn covered Noctis's hand with his own and moved it as he liked. He purred richly to praise the sweaty tight channel Noctis made for him. Ardyn's precum had started welling up thickly at the stimulation to his sweet spot, and Noctis's palm rubbed it around his cockhead. Taking some initiative, Noctis reached up with his other hand to stroke at Ardyn's base. Another shiver went through Ardyn, and he urged Noctis to cup and massage his sac.  
  
Ardyn groaned, needing more and feeling the tantalizing press of Noctis's knot against his opening. From what he could recall, Ardyn usually preferred partners who didn't knot him. His mate's obedience and eagerness fanned his desires more than Ardyn had expected. He wanted that fullness; he wanted the sense of being joined.  
  
Noctis's knot filled him deliciously, making his cock jump. Noctis let out a broken purr and moved his hand faster along Ardyn's length. Ardyn considered that his young mate had done well to last this long, and he wanted to feel Noctis come. His own climax would be sweeter if he first felt Noctis spill inside him. Circling his hips, Ardyn leaned down over Noctis to nuzzle into his damp hair. Their height difference made it difficult to kiss, and Ardyn settled for whispering, "You feel so good inside me, sweet prince. Let go for me. Let me see you come."  
  
"Nh, nnn, Ard-yn...!!" Noctis's thin body was coiled with tension, and he'd forgotten about moving his hands as he neared his climax.  
  
Ardyn pinched one of his plump little nipples, delighted by their redness and how the stimulation made Noctis arch and moan. As Noctis start to release inside him, Ardyn watched Noctis's expression melt with pleasure and a little awe. Ardyn stroked himself quickly. His insides clenched and fluttered around Noctis's knot, grinding into his sweet spot, and urging Noctis to keep filling him with seed. Ardyn felt spurt after spurt painting his insides, while the knot kept him plugged up.  
  
Noctis remained hard, and his needy thrusts were irresistible. Ardyn came on Noctis's chest and face, thick and creamy until he felt emptied out. At first Noctis flinched and yelped, but as he watched his mate losing himself in pleasure, Noctis opened his mouth to taste Ardyn's release. Dazed and aroused beyond his own comprehension, Noctis lifted his head and stretched out his tongue to lick at Ardyn's tip. Ardyn grunted in surprise. The stimulation that was almost too much, but the view was sinful.  
  
Then Noctis cried out as he came again, gushing another load into Ardyn's depths. When he was older Noctis would probably be able to fill him so much his abdomen swelled, and Ardyn looked forward to it.  
  
For now, Noctis was too sensitive to keep going; his knot went down and Ardyn could slip off him. He sank into the sheets beside Noctis, feeling pleasantly warm and shivery all over. Sated but still lightly aroused. He'd be ready to go again soon. Noctis turned away to wipe his face and other parts with the edge of the blanket. He looked rather embarrassed now, and uncertain about Ardyn's presence. Ardyn lay back with an arm under his head, not bothering with the stickiness between his legs. A deep part of him was pleased to be filled with his mate's essence and didn't want to lose this feeling.  
  
He turned a lazy smirk on Noctis, waiting to see what the petulant creature would do now. More scowling and grumbling and bossing Ardyn around? Noctis finally glanced at him directly. Ardyn had been expecting that as an alpha, Noctis would be trying to rub his scent all over Ardyn after mating. Still too shy it seemed.  
  
"Come here," Ardyn said, gesturing that Noctis was welcome to snuggle against him.  
  
Noctis looked unimpressed, but after a minute he did settle in, pressed to Ardyn's side and resting his head on Ardyn's chest.  
  
"There you go, sweet boy," Ardyn crooned. He didn't think he felt particularly tender towards his mate yet, but he was feeling possessive and his instincts wanted the same from Noctis. He draped an arm over Noctis's back, felt his little prince shiver. Ardyn began to purr, and Noctis soon joined in with his higher, uneven purring. It was pleasant to bask like this, and Noctis napped for a little while.  
  
Eventually Noctis's youthful energy made him restless. He rubbed his face against Ardyn's chest, his shoulder, and would have rubbed against his face too if the stubble hadn't stopped him. Ardyn kissed the scowl from his pretty face, and welcomed him back between his legs. This time he stayed comfortably lazy on his back, content to let Noctis do the work.  
  
Noctis nuzzled and licked at Ardyn's neck in a haze, but he was still too timid to lay claim. That suited Ardyn. If Noctis had made any move to sink his fangs in, Ardyn would have warned him off. Although he'd accepted that he had a soul mate, he wasn't ready to be claimed by anyone. He did however enjoy being filled with more of Noctis's seed.  
  
And in this position Ardyn could kiss Noctis more easily when he curled forward; he kissed Noctis thoroughly until the boy succeeded in making him come again. Ardyn was soft and open, and Noctis drove him wild by fucking in and out of him with his little knot, rubbing Ardyn's stretched opening and his sweet spot so wonderfully he came from that alone.  
  
The deep groans and shouts of passion were what probably brought someone to knock at Noctis's bedroom door. At first Noctis didn't seem to notice or care. Ardyn didn't have any shame and wouldn't have cared about being seen. And these fool Lucians couldn't do him any real harm—they would only separate him from his mate over his dead body. Good luck to them with that.  
  
The moment the door clicked open and someone else's presence breached their space, Noctis whipped his head around and snarled loudly, all threat and possessiveness. Ardyn would have chuckled if he hadn't been so aroused. The door slammed shut. Noctis growled in his throat a moment longer and then snapped out of it.  
  
"Oh shit," Noctis gasped, still buried inside Ardyn and freezing in place. "Oh shit oh shit. They're totally gonna tell my dad."  
  
He pulled away from Ardyn in a rush, and it was thanks to being small that it didn't really hurt either of them. Now it was Ardyn's turn to growl. He wasn't done here, and he didn't give a damn who got told what. Noctis was already scrambling off the bed and hurriedly pulling on his clothes. Seeing that Noctis had gone soft anyway, Ardyn sighed in resignation and wrapped himself deeper into the blankets alone. He didn't want to deal with this drama.  
  
As it turned out, the king had to go see Ardyn in Noctis's room, because Ardyn wouldn't be moved by Noctis, and Noctis wouldn't let the Crownsguard lay a hand on Ardyn. The king looked thunderous at the sight of a slovenly man lounging in his teenage son's bed, the scents of sex and pheromones still in the air and bedclothes. Sitting up in bed, Ardyn gave a mocking bow. It was due to thousands of years of embittered immortality and his ego that Ardyn didn't cower under the pressure of a royal alpha's anger.  
  
Regis must have believed in the validity of their bond, because he didn't even try to kill Ardyn. He gave a concerned, sorrowful glance at his son defensively standing between the entourage of guards and Ardyn. In the end, Regis allowed Ardyn to stay as a 'guest', but not in Noctis's room. It looked like Noctis would be in for a long lecture; Ardyn wondered if he was in for an interrogation. What Noctis knew about him was a privilege of their bond. But if there were things Noctis decided to tell, Ardyn didn't mind. However, he was in no mood to play supplicant to a Lucian king. A wrongful king at that. Let Regis think he could use magic to manipulate Ardyn—it wouldn't work. He wasn't a thorn in the side of the Astrals for nothing. The Crownsguard trying to menace him once the king and prince had left was pathetic, laughable. Ardyn froze those fools in place, and told the dumbstruck servant to show him to his new quarters. 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
